valve clearances and cleaning the exhaust

[erik]

Just felt like posting about the maintenance I've been doing the last few days.

Checked and adjusted the valve clearances. Last time I'd done it was 14,800km ago, I'd left it slightly longer than the 6000km the manual recommends. They were all pretty much exactly where I'd left them when I adjusted them last.

Question: when adjusting valves, I've heard the saying "a tappy tappet is a happy tappet", meaning I think to err on the side of a larger gap rather than a smaller gap.

As far as I know, with shim and bucket valves, the clearances tend to get smaller over time due to the valve seat wearing. So it's best to set the clearances at the high side of the recommended range.
Is the same true for tappet valves like in the bandit?

What I've done this time while adjusting the valves was to set them so that 0.152mm did not fit, but 0.127mm (next gauge size down) did.
Is that being too fussy? It would be easier to just set them so that 0.103mm (or what ever it is, damned imperial gauges... ;) ) fit and 0.152mm didn't.
The above is for the inlet valves, but I did the same thing with different clearances for the exhaust.

Other stuff I did was pull the RH crankcase cover off so I could clean the oil level sight glass. It had crudded up on the inside so it was pretty much impossible to see the oil level without using a torch.
The locating pins had corroded a bit in their holes, so it was tricky getting the cover off. I don't think I could remove the pins without damaging them, so just filed a bit of the corrosion off the exposed end and put some grease on them before putting it back together. Wirebrushed and greased the bolts before putting them back in too since they were also a bit corroded.

And I cleaned the exhaust! I'd been meaning to do it for a while, but hadn't got around to it. Hell of a job since it was a bit corroded. Sandpaper and a wirewheel in the electric drill. Then polished it a bit after.
Before/after photos here.
Far from like new, but it's an old bike and it looks better than it did before. (the photo looks better than in real life... ;) ).

Going to try balancing the carbs tomorrow.

[gsxr400 racer]

Def. on the right track cheers

[pmackie]

As far as wear goes, there are two types counteracting each other...
1. The valve and seat slowly wear causing the valve to slowly work its way into the head, DECREASING space.
2. The tappets, as well as cams, rocker arms etc, all wear over time INCREASING space.

So...depending on what wears first, you may gain or loose tappet clearance, which is why it is best to check and adjust regularly.

My Bandit showed almost zero change in the clearance through the first 15000 kms, but I'm up at 30000 now and will adjust this winter.